extortionary

American  

[ik-stawr-shuh-ner-ee] / ɪkˈstɔr ʃəˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. characterized by or given to extortion.

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Usage

What does extortionary mean? Extortionary is an adjective used to describe things involving extortion—the act of using violence, threats, intimidation, or pressure from one’s authority to force someone to hand over money (or something else of value) or do something they don’t want to do.Extortion and the verb extort are commonly used in this literal sense, but they can also be used in a few more general or figurative ways. Extortion can refer to the practice of overcharging someone for something or to obtaining something through relentless and unreasonable demands. These senses liken such actions to the actual crime of extortion.Extortionary can be used to describe things that involve all of these senses of extortion. It can be used to describe practices that involve or resemble extortion or people or organizations that engage in extortion.The similar adjective extortionate is most often applied to people or organizations that use extortion. A person who engages in extortion can be called an extortionist or an extortioner.Example: These extortionary business practices seem like they were modeled on the mafia.

Etymology

Origin of extortionary

First recorded in 1795–1805; extortion + -ary

Example Sentences

But Musk’s vision of a paid product resembles payola—something utterly extortionary.

From Slate

“These untrue allegations are a sad way to discredit our brand & business practices for sensational news and extortionary financial gain.”

From Los Angeles Times

The attack comes less than a month after Biden pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop providing safe haven to REvil and other ransomware gangs whose unrelenting extortionary attacks the U.S. deems a national security threat.

From Seattle Times

Ms. Keller wasn’t criticizing her former employer, but rather lamenting the fact that lawmakers and law enforcement authorities have largely ignored the slander industry and its extortionary practices, leaving Google to clean up the mess.

From New York Times

Political hand-wringing in Washington over Russia’s hacking of federal agencies and interference in U.S. politics has mostly overshadowed a worsening digital scourge with a far broader wallop: crippling and dispiriting extortionary ransomware attacks by cybercriminal mafias that mostly operate in foreign safe havens out of the reach of Western law enforcement.

From Fox News